PHP & it's capabilities in Interactive Media

PHP stands for Hypertext Pre-processor, and is a coding language which generates HTML content for use in web pages. The server side scripting language allows web developers to write scripts or small programs which can read and write to databases to record information. It can also be used to edit documents remotely, and can even alter graphic content, such as adding watermarks for photographs or reducing the canvas size.

Common uses for PHP in products can include content management systems, such as Textpattern. These interfaces use PHP to allow users to input content which is then displayed through the front end of the website. These systems are usually connected to a MySQL database which will then house either the content itself, or links to folders which contain the content. Using a CMS system makes it much easier to update the content of a website and also has a large appeal to clients wanting to look after their own websites.

E-commerce websites can also make use of PHP systems. This can help to store and manage information on customers, products, personal information as well as adding search features to aid the usability of a website. Due to the large volume of data stored, MySQL databases have to be managed to remain efficient. Knowledge of MySQL and PHP go hand in hand when creating and managing large amounts of information, and the architecture of these databases is crucial the function of the end product.

Graphical content can also be generated and edited by using PHP. Information such as stock exchange prices can be rendered on the fly into a graph, which will display when the source information changes. This dynamic ability is useful for keeping content relevant and up to date, and will therefore continually bring end users back to a website.

Further manipulation of images can be achieved with using PHP, to does automated tasks such as resizing images and adding watermarking to photographs. These automated systems can greatly reduce the amount of work files need to be prepared for the internet, making the end user experience much simpler.

The end user experience has the potential to be substantially better when using PHP. A website where the content changes will entice users to return for additional information, which will help client to keep their business exposed to customers. This is of course reliant on the system being easy to use and manage, so that the minimum amount of technical knowledge is needed to use the application.

Many job vacancies ask for knowledge of MySQL and PHP. As this language is firmly embedded into the makeup of the internet, it is a very valuable skill to learn. Knowing how to manipulate the language of PHP will be of great interest to employers who are looking for skilled employees, and also for clients who will want easy to use CMS applications for their projects.